Chie Lai

Born to Asian parents who love art and music, I started drawing at 6. Art was mandatory in school until year 9, so I continued painting mainly to fulfill credit requirements and stopped when it was no longer required.

Unexpectedly, I reconnected with art after becoming a pharmacist, finding it a great stress reliever. To my surprise, I remembered the techniques I learned in school, and with added life experience, I began experimenting with different media and subjects.

Art has been a constant companion, even during periods when I’ve put it aside for years. Travel scenes often inspire me to pick up my brush again, and ultimately leading me back to watercolors.

I’ve never considered my artistic abilities special—just more natural to me than physics. However, friends have encouraged me to take art seriously, pointing out that what comes naturally to me is not as easy for everyone. Painting brings me immense joy, and I’ve come to appreciate that not everyone finds it as effortless and I am lucky to be able to do what I do.